"Negative" Cards in Outcome

[Kitichi]

Hello all,

I'm curious about the different ways of thinking in regards to the outcome card. This is coming more from the POV that the tarot is not about seeing the future so much as it is about guiding our malleable future. Given that, one expects that the tarot gives us advice to get us to the best possible outcome - correct?

So let's take a simple Situation/Advice/Outcome spread. When I see this, I expect that the Advice card tells me the best thing to do to get the best possible outcome, and the Outcome card tells me what to expect. However, I have sometimes gotten some really terrible outcome cards! Assuming that the reading is genuine, how does one interpret the negative outcome cards? Some options that I'm thinking of are:

- Interpret the card in the best possible manner
- Interpret the card as normal, with the understanding that taking the action prevents something worse
- Interpret the card as normal, view it as "fate" - in that the tarot already "knows" you won't take the action and thus the outcome is going to happen
- Interpret the card as normal - consider that outcome is limited to the time duration of the spread, but the action can set up for a better future, another outcome that is beyond the scope of the current spread
- Other possibilities?

I'm sure some of it will have to do with the spread itself, which may lend hints as to which interpretation to use. I feel like in one case, I got an outcome card that was pretty much the worst thing I could have gotten for that spread! But I feel like the action was leading me that way, in spite of the negative outcome, because I had to go through the bad thing in order to reach the good things months down the road. Had I gotten the more positive outcome card that represented months later, I would have felt deceived by the tarot in the week following the reading (the negative outcome occurred less than a week from the reading).

Anyway, just looking to see the various thoughts people have on the topic. Thank you!

 

[rwcarter]

I think it depends on the way you look at tarot. I look at readings as expressing how things will go assuming everything continues the way it's currently going. A "negative" outcome card suggests that the way things are currently going, the outcome will be one that the Querent won't enjoy. BUT I believe that we all have free will and that if the Querent gets an outcome that they don't like, then they can make changes to ensure that outcome doesn't happen.

Now if you look at tarot as being predictive, then, yes, that negative outcome is going to happen regardless of what the Querent does. So in that case, I'd guess the Advice card is telling the Querent how best to mitigate the negative outcome. Say the Outcome card says you're going to have an accident. Then the Advice card might tell you how to just injure your pinky on your non-dominant hand instead of breaking a leg or arm.

 

[gregory]

I would have seen it more as "this is what is likely to happen if you carry on in your current path and all things remain equal. Now - what are you going to do about that ?"

- and look to the advice cards for suggestions.

 

[janie144]

Ever heard of the saying every cloud has a silver lining? Well I believe sometimes we have to go through bad stuff to get to the good stuff.

For example I could be with this guy and I might think he is the one, but there is somebody far better for me, my soul mate (term used loosely) and we are going to have the white picket fence, 2.5 kids the lot, in order for me to meet Mr Right I must go through a break-up with Mr Right Now. Obviously this break up is going to feel bad to me, but long term it is actually the best possible outcome, I just don't know it yet.

That's kinda how I look at it

 

[PAMUYA]

I was taught at a very young age that when reading cards you must not think in the terms of "positive" or "negative". When you start to bring your own feelings into a reading you will be unable to hear the whispers of your intuition. There are no negative or positive cards they are just information. Good and bad things happen in life, it is a part of how we grow and learn. Is it fun to give a reading where the sitter gets to hear all the things they want to hear?...YES, but it is the things they don't want to hear that they need to hear and learn from. Reading cards cover the whole spectrum of life, as a reader you must be willing to face that. I think it would be harder to learn to read as an adult, to let go of emotion, but I really don't know for sure since I was taught so young.

Most card readers I know meditatie before reading to others to clear their mind and to clear their emotions. It is not being "cold" to separate your emotions from the reading, it is allowing yourself to see clearly what the cards are trying to say to you. I always start a reading by asking my client are you willing to hear what the cards have to say... I am very careful how I phrase my answers, never wanting to cause pain or suffering, but to let them know as "nicely" as possible.

This is how I was taught, I am sure many others feel differently.

 

[xhollysue]

When I get a "scary" or "awkward" card in the outcome, I always interpret it as comfort for the querent that challenges are a part of the process and a sign that they're on the right track.

For example, let's say they get the 5 of wands in the outcome (this happened just last week). I might tell them something like, "Now, after you move forward you may feel like things get crazy and out of control, like it's getting noisy and petty and complicated ... the cards are giving you a heads up that this is part of the process. We can't know what happens after it until you experience the chaos and make a decision about how to react to it. Allow it, don't buy into it, and stay strong."

Or the Tower ... "If you proceed as recommended, you'll probably start to feel like your walls of protection are crumbling around you. It will probably feel scary ... so know that it's part of the process. Just stick with <whatever the recommended action is> and remember that freedom from the armor is going to serve you immensely. This card is a sign to you that your trials are known, and when this arises you can trust you are not alone."

Something like that.

 

[wulzcat]

I believe that divination, in its best and finest form, ought not to give you 'pat' answers to difficult questions, or show you the easy route, but ought to give you pause for reflection. So for me, a Situation/Advice/Outcome spread will never really work because it's too compartmentalised and there's no room for reflection. It's too 'bish-bam-wallop' for my liking.

I prefer to look at the cards together and form an overall impression of what the cards are saying to me, and develop advice from that impression. The cards can show me what are the energies in a situation, and I, using my powers of intuition and rational thought, can figure out what to do based on that information. These days I don't really believe in 'outcome' cards. I only see the energies that are present and how they are developing.

That's how I increasingly do my readings, anyway.

Just to add, sometimes Bad Stuff Happens and there's not a lot you can do about it; even knowing about it in advance might not help you much. Sometimes it might even make it worse. I have been given readings predicting some Bad Stuff and in trying to avoid the Bad Stuff I think I managed to make it happen, whereas maybe it wouldn't have happened at all if I hadn't been trying to avoid it! (Classic Oedipus situation!) You often need to go through it in order to learn anything at all. IF negative cards are coming up as outcomes, it might help to understand that there are things we need to go through to learn about life and about ourselves... a spread asking 'what lessons am I learning at this time' (or some such) might help put the difficulties into perspective.

 

[SunChariot]

Hello all,

I'm curious about the different ways of thinking in regards to the outcome card. This is coming more from the POV that the tarot is not about seeing the future so much as it is about guiding our malleable future. Given that, one expects that the tarot gives us advice to get us to the best possible outcome - correct?

So let's take a simple Situation/Advice/Outcome spread. When I see this, I expect that the Advice card tells me the best thing to do to get the best possible outcome, and the Outcome card tells me what to expect. However, I have sometimes gotten some really terrible outcome cards! Assuming that the reading is genuine, how does one interpret the negative outcome cards? Some options that I'm thinking of are:

- Interpret the card in the best possible manner
- Interpret the card as normal, with the understanding that taking the action prevents something worse
- Interpret the card as normal, view it as "fate" - in that the tarot already "knows" you won't take the action and thus the outcome is going to happen
- Interpret the card as normal - consider that outcome is limited to the time duration of the spread, but the action can set up for a better future, another outcome that is beyond the scope of the current spread
- Other possibilities?

I'm sure some of it will have to do with the spread itself, which may lend hints as to which interpretation to use. I feel like in one case, I got an outcome card that was pretty much the worst thing I could have gotten for that spread! But I feel like the action was leading me that way, in spite of the negative outcome, because I had to go through the bad thing in order to reach the good things months down the road. Had I gotten the more positive outcome card that represented months later, I would have felt deceived by the tarot in the week following the reading (the negative outcome occurred less than a week from the reading).

Anyway, just looking to see the various thoughts people have on the topic. Thank you!

Although you know I am going to say that I don't beleive there are any negative cards in Tarot and that all cards hold their opposites within them...hereis my answer as I see it.

In that kind oof answer. the Outcome card is telling you the outcome you are currenlty hedaing towards, the future you are heading towards now. And you have not yet taken the advice.

The three cards could simply be saying: Here is where you are now. Here is the advice for you to get to the best outomce., And here is why you need to take this advice. Becuase this is where you were heading right now before the cards gave you this advice.

Eg the Outcome would be teh ourcome you are heading towards now. Not the outoome after taking the advice. Because yes, you are right that logically if you are given advice to help things work out in the best way. the outcome of following that advice should not be "negative" That makes no sense. OR it can also be said that just being given advice does not ensure that we follow it. Often, when advice is a lot of work, we don't always do every part of it. So the cards may be hinting that as things stand you were not goign to follow the advice all the way.

Babs

 

[SunChariot]

When I get a "scary" or "awkward" card in the outcome, I always interpret it as comfort for the querent that challenges are a part of the process and a sign that they're on the right track.

For example, let's say they get the 5 of wands in the outcome (this happened just last week). I might tell them something like, "Now, after you move forward you may feel like things get crazy and out of control, like it's getting noisy and petty and complicated ... the cards are giving you a heads up that this is part of the process. We can't know what happens after it until you experience the chaos and make a decision about how to react to it. Allow it, don't buy into it, and stay strong."

Or the Tower ... "If you proceed as recommended, you'll probably start to feel like your walls of protection are crumbling around you. It will probably feel scary ... so know that it's part of the process. Just stick with <whatever the recommended action is> and remember that freedom from the armor is going to serve you immensely. This card is a sign to you that your trials are known, and when this arises you can trust you are not alone."

Something like that.

I felt I just had to stop and say "Wow, I love the way you think" Now, that would be helpful. I'd go to you if you were a professional reader.

Babs

 

[xhollysue]

(blush) ... GRIN ... (blush) - Thanks!!